Having Good Posture can do What!?
8 Crazy Benefits of Good Posture
Take a minute to examine your posture right now as you read this. Are you slouching, or sitting up straight?
You may not realise it, but we use posture in all daily movements. We use our posture when we stand in line, sit at our desk, pick up our kids and even when we sleep!
We all grew up with our parents nagging us to sit up straight, but here are 8 benefits that you may not be aware of that result from having correct posture.
Fewer headaches
It sounds dubious, but it has been proven that having poor posture can increase the frequency and severity of headaches. When your body is positioned in a slouch, a lot of pressure and tension is placed on your neck. This tension together with the pressure creates headaches from muscle strain.
Further, when you are slouching you are naturally inhaling less oxygen and therefore changing your breathing pattern. Less oxygen to the brain = increased headaches.
Increases your brain activity
Another advantage of having a good posture is that it helps increase your brainpower. When your brain is given little oxygen, our ability to concentrate and remember things is significantly diminished. Our brain consumes about 20% of the oxygen we breathe. So, better breathing means more oxygen to the brain, which ultimately increases your brainpower!
Prevents back and neck pain
Having poor posture over an extended period of time can be detrimental to your back and neck, ultimately leading to injury. Stiffness and knotted muscles are a common sign that you may need to fix your posture. It’s important to correct your posture to relieve the stress from your neck and back. This will help prevent long-term spinal issues and arthritis.
Improved balance
Posture and balance go hand in hand. How you hold yourself up can really impact your balance for better or for worse. As we get older, our balance naturally deteriorates which can lead to more falls and injuries. Having correct posture will keep your body stable, maintain your joint alignments and overall improve your balance.
Helps with digestion
Did you know the way you sit or stand when you eat might affect your digestive system? When you slouch, you are impacting the way in which your body digests food. Having good posture will ultimately ensure that your diaphragm and intestines are working properly and overall improve your digestion.
Strengthens your core
Unfortunately for most of us, fixing our posture isn’t as natural as breathing or blinking. We have to consciously think, “sit up straight” and that involves using your core muscles. A good posture and a strong core exist together. By practicing good posture, your core is forced to be engaged and ultimately it will strengthen your muscles.
Prevent acid reflux
There is a link between poor posture after a meal and acid reflux. It’s true, one of the major triggers of heartburn is caused when there is a disruption to the digestive process. As said earlier, your posture will directly impact the efficiency of your digestive system. When you slouch, the normal flow is disrupted, causing blockage and acid backing up your throat. This causes the burning sensation in our chest. Heartburn is not only painful, it can lead to serious health issues. It is therefore important to practice correct posture to reduce the frequency and severity of acid reflux.
It allows you to breathe better
Having correct posture will organically improve your breathing. When you are slouching, you are constricting your lungs capacity to expand. By standing tall with a good posture your chest will naturally open up allowing you to breathe properly and with ease. Breathing is key to managing stress and your ability to sleep. So, it has a huge impact on your overall mental and physical wellbeing.
This week and next week in our camps we are focussing on spinal strength, balance and posture within the regular boxing, x-training and yoga classes. If you would like to implement some of these benefits into your life then come along!
Simply look for your nearest location here and then follow the sign-up steps.
